Don't Give Up On Me

Thirty Three.

"Mom?"

I was at Zacky's house, wearing one of his t-shirts and semi-wrapped in a blanket. He went out to go get some food, leaving me alone in his basement and giving me the oppurtunity to talk to my mother finally.

"Mi hija? Its eleven o'clock at night, are you alright?" she asks, her tone worried.

Shit, I forgot about the time difference. "Sorry, Mom, did I wake you?"

"No, honey, you just interrupted my novella," she replies, making me smile. "Is everything okay?"

No. "Dad's getting remarried," I tell her bluntly after a few moments of hesitation, trying to collect the right words to say. "He proposed in front of everyone at this party he threw at her house."

"Wow," my mother says softly. "Well, do you like the woman he's marrying?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Does she treat you and Ryan like her own?"

"I guess-"

"Then why aren't you happy for your father?" she asks, surprising me.

"I am, but the way he proposed... it was like his marriage with you never happened, like he didn't have children, even. I want him to be happy, but its like he's forgotten Ryan and I exist. When he does acknowledge it, however, we end up arguing," I confessed to my mother, sighing. "I brought Zacky to the party tonight and he tried to kick him out because Dad's parents didn't like him."

"How is Zacky, by the way? I still need to meet this boy," she says. I could hear the smile in her voice.

"He's great. He's out getting me some comfort food right now, actually."

"How sweet!" she says, genuine. "Okay, back to the matter at hand: have you tried just sitting down and talking with your father? You know how he is; if its not a discussion, its a shouting match."

"Ryan and I have both tried multiple times. Ry's even trying to get an apartment big enough for the both of us, because he can't stand Dad anymore. He's that fed up, and you know Ryan doesn't just give up like that."

"Aye, mi hija! Do I need to come down there and smack some sense into that father of yours!? Tell Ryan I'll cosign on that apartment if it comes down to that," she says angrily, not at all happy.

"Please do. I miss you, Mom."

"I miss you, too, Andi. Desiree does, too. Its so cute, she asks for you all the time. And she brags about you, saying, 'I have a big sister. Her name's Andi but she's not two like me.' At least, her variation of that, anyways."

I laugh. "Aww. How's Gramps and Gramma doing?"

She sighs. "Day by day, Andi, that's how they're taking it all. Your grandmother misses you like crazy. She just sent out your birthday gift today, actually, just in time for your birthday next week."

"She didn't have to send me anything, Mom," I sigh. "I'll call her and say thank you to her soon."

My mother yawns. "Well,  I've got work tomorrow. Call me soon, okay? Hope your father grows some sense soon, 'cause who knows how much he didn't have before."

"Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, baby girl."

The line clicks. I set my phone down with a sigh. As if on cue, Zacky descends the stairs, McDonald's bag in one hand and a milkshake from Lola's Diner in the other.

This boy, I though with a smile. "Honey, I'm home," he calls out dramatically, smiling.

"Good," I smiled back. He kicks off his shoes and joins me on the bed, dispersing the food. "Boyfriend of the year should go to you, because these fries taste like heaven right now."

He shrugs. "You're easy to please."

"Take the compliment, dickhead."

"There we go," he mutters, smirking.

I roll my eyes and take another bite of a fry. "Seriously, thank you. This is exactly what I needed."

"No problem, babe," he says before taking a bite of his burger. I wrinkle my nose before tasting the shake. Chocolate cake batter with peanut butter. I wanted to shout from the rooftops my appreciation for him right now. He knew me too well.

******************

Zacky POV

"Wait, what?" The unanimous question from my friends as they were scattered around the basketball court we were on.

I groaned. "Fucking hell, do none of you listen?"

"No, no, we heard what you said, but we can't believe that it actually came out of your mouth," Violet replies.

"Look, are you guys on board or not?" I ask as I shoot the ball into the hoop.

"You totally love her, dude," Brian says on the opposite end of the court. "Why else would you need our help for a fucking party for her?"

"What? I- what?" I stutter, not helping my case. "You're friends with her, too, Haner, why wouldn't you want to scare the shit out of her for her birthday?"

"Nice save," Matt pats my shoulder before taking the ball from me and shooting a goal. I roll my eyes.

"I'll admit, that'll be great," Brian says as he jogs down the court. "But you don't have the caliber for that, Baker, you're living on minimum wage and her family hates you. You're sort of fucked."

"Ryan can help," Charlotte says, grinning. "If Ryan backs your plan then you're fucking golden, Zack."

"She told me the other day that something always happens on her birthday that makes it shitty, okay, and plus, she spent her last one in the hospital because of..." I trailed off, the image of her in the hospital because of attempted suicide glued in my brain. "Well, you guys know why. She's had a rough few months. And I'd much rather see my girlfriend happy than crying her eyes out."

"You're literally so in love with her that I can feel it all the way over here," Violet says, hand over her heart. I groan again, throwing the ball angrily at the goal from center court.

"Chill out, man," Jimmy says, catching my angry throw. "They're just messing with you. We'll help you, dude, just chill."

Collective nods of agreement come from them all, relief coursing through me. "Violet, doesn't Ryan work at the Guitar Center in Irvine?"

"No, closer, he works at the one in Costa Mesa," she corrects me. "Why?"

"I'm gonna have to go there soon, then," I shrug, sinking a free throw.

"Go where soon?" Andi's voice asks as she walks over, her hair bright in the midday sun.

"Guitar Center, to help me find new drumsticks," Jimmy covers for me.

"Oh. Ryan works at the one in Costa Mesa, he'll give you a discount," she says as she joins the girls on the bench.

"Good, because I'm low on cash," Jimmy says, flashing a grin her way.

"You guys should probably head out if you're gonna catch him before his shift ends."

So, we leave and catch him as he was preparing to leave. "You do know her birthday is in a week and a half, right?"

"I'm aware."

Ryan sighs. "It'll be stretch, but I think we can make it work. Maybe I can even see if our Mom can come..."

"That'd make her entire day if she came," I said. "But don't worry about it. I have the guys and girls helping me with this, too, I just need you to talk to your parents."

"I've got it covered. Let's throw the best damn party for my little sister."